Revision as of 18:05, January 23, 2013

George of Laodicea was a semi-Arian (Homoiousian) who lived during the fourth century Arianism controversies. He participated actively in the many councils among the Orthodox and the various positions of Arianism. He was a heretic.

Contents

Life

George was probably born in Epiphania, in Cilicia about the year 290. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop Alexander of Alexandria. George supported Arius in Alexandria and attempted to reconcile Bp. Alexander with him. His stand, however, led to his excommunication on charges of immorality and advocacy of Arianism.

Retaining his position among the Arians, George was appointed Bishop of Laodicea about 335 and established his position among the Homoiousians during the controversies of the fourth century. George attended a number synods during the middle of the fourth century as an advocate of the homoiousian theology. He opposed Athanasius the Great of Alexandria and participated in the Council of Tyre of 335 that condemned Athanasius as well as Marcellus. He participated in the Council of Seleucia of 359 that attempted to conciliate, unsuccessfully, the continued disputes among adherents of the forms of Arianism following the First Ecumenical Council.

The date of the death of George of Laodicea is uncertain, but is usually given as about 361. While generally identified as present at the Council of Constantinople of 360 that was called to resolve the split among the Arians at the Council of Seleucia, inconsistencies in the sources of the period between his presence and that of George of Alexandria at the various synods of the time point to his death at an earlier date, most probably in late 359, after the Council of Seleucia but before the Council at Constantinople.[1]